Living to make much of Jesus

The Love of Money: What Coca-Cola and the Church Have in Common

Those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap… (1 Timothy 6:9).

Yesterday at church our guest speaker from the Timothy Training Initiative shared with us that in 150 years Coca-Cola has reached 97% of the world, making it possible for people nearly all around the world to have the ability to sip on a Coca-Cola, all for the love of money. While in 2,000 years the church has reached 66% of the world for the love of God. This should be a heartbreaking reality for the church.

About twenty minutes later as our speaker was preaching I heard the Lord say to me, “The church has been motivated by the love of money too.” Coca-Cola has used the love of money to reach nearly the entire world, while the churches love of money has kept her from reaching the world for the Kingdom of God.

You know I love a lot of things. Most of them center around what’s best for me. I’ve loved my comfortable bank account, time, hobbies, and personal comforts. I love what is best for me because the person I care most about is usually me. I daily battle with the person inside of me that wants to be selfish and centered only on what I want or what might ease my discomforts or fears.

I have been many places with God, all around the world, but the place I often have the hardest time going to with God is not halfway across the world, but the short distance from my head to my heart. The place where my mind runs rampant with fears, pride and selfish motivations. That’s the place I have the hardest time going to for personal revival. Going halfway across the world to minister is fun and exciting, but honestly, the most impactful place a Christian can go with God is that short distance from their head to their heart.

There is not a lack of Christians who want to travel the world for Christ. There are thousands of mission trips every year. Could it be that the real mission trip that is needed is the one in our own heart first? Not the one halfway across the world? The trip into our hearts is messy, but if we are willing, God will bring forth His renovation. When He renovates our hearts the grip on our bank accounts and comforts start to soften. As we let go, God grows our trust and our giving increasing, because our heart starts to grow to be more like His.

We love to do great things for God. We love to go and “help people,” on mission trips. It makes us feel good inside. It puffs up our pride and makes us feel like an important person. However, the greatest renovation that the world needs for Christ is not Christians doing “great things for God,” but Christians who are willing to let God do great things IN THEM. As God works in us and our hearts change, then and only then do our motivations start to change. As we submit to His loving renovation we are we able to become new people who are no longer motivated by the love of money, but truly, by the love of God.

Lord, I admit to you that sometimes I want to find comfort in my bank account. I admit to you that I am deeply selfish. Oh Lord, renovate my heart for your glory! I want you to change me to make me more like Jesus! I want His heart, His desires, and His love to be my daily motivation. Be my eternal joy, and use your church to reach the world for Christ, in Jesus name, Amen!